Collapsible-tube closure



July 10,- 1923.

'G. E. FORCE COLLAPS I BLE TUBE CLOSURE Filed April 11 1921 Patented duly" id, @23.

srres GERALD E. MERGE, GE

m roan, n. n, assrenon ronntinnr can come new roan, n. v.

ooLLarsrnLn-rnnn cnosunn.

Application fled April 11, 1921. Serial No. 460,194.

To all w ham it may concern:

Be it known that I, GERALD E. FORGE, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,'have invented n'ew and useful Improvements in Collapsible-Tube Closures, of which the following is a specification.

My inventionrelates to certain new and useful improvements in receptacle closures and is capable of wide application in this field, although intended more particularly for use in connection with containers of the collapsible tube type in which tooth paste and like substances are commonly sold.

Though I have shown the preferred use of my invention in connection with collapsible tubes, the same is equally adaptable as a closure for automobile radiators, air plane radiators, and the like, preventing working loose and consequent loss of the cap by vir tue of rough'vehicular travel and constant vibration of the motor, respectively, as is prevalent with the general type of such closures now in use. I

The principal object of the invention. is to provide a receptacle closure having cap-retaining means arranged to be concealed by the cap when the latter is inclosed position, to the endthat the presentation of unsightly devices on the outside of the receptacle may be avoided.

Another object of the invention is to con struct the receptacle and cap-retaining means that the latter serves not only to prevent complete separation of the cap from the receptacle, but also to facilitate re-engage ment of the cap with the receptacle when returning the cap to closed position.

With these and other objects in view,

which will become apparent as the descrip tion proceeds, the invention resides in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described and claimed, andillustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several figures, of which:

Fig. 1 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section of a collapsible tube or container and closure constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a similar View to Fig. 1 showing the cap or closure in open position; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the container showing the cap-retainer and disk guide member in relative position.

In the illustrated embodiment characterizing this invention, the collapsible container or tube 1 is of substantially conventional construction, being provided with a neck or collar 2 surrounding the discharge orifice and provided with an external screw thread 3 adapted to engage the internal thread i of the closure cap 5.

According to my invention there is provided a retaining member. for hingedly connecting the cap to the container and, in the form herein disclosed, said-retaining member comprises an inner cap-shaped circular disk 6 threadedly engaged in the cap 5, as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing, and provided with an integral lug or guide member '7 projecting outwardly from the lower face thereof.

The lug or guide 7' is fitted into a slot, 8 provided in the neck 2, and has its lower end pivotally secured in said'slot, as indicated at 9.

lVith the above arrangement, and assuming that the parts are disposed as shown in Fig. 2,- it is evident that when the diskfi is swung downwardly to lie against the outer end of the neck or collar 2, the cap 5 can be readily threaded past the disk into engagement with said'neck, thus closing and sealing the discharge orifice. It should be noted-here, that the diameter of the disk is the same as the outside'diameter of the neck and that the thread on the disk forms a continuation of the neck or collar thread. This is an important feature, as it enables the cap to pass smoothly from the disk onto the neck without the usual difiiculty experienced in properly engaging the cap thread with the neck thread. Y

' When it is desired to dispense the contents of the container, the cap5 is unscrewed from the neck 2 until its lower edge is substantially flush with the lower side of the disk 6, thus permitting said disk and cap to be swung to one side of the discharge orifice.

In order to hold the disk and cap against separation, the latter is provided interiorly with a central post 10 projecting from the top portion thereof and passing loosely through a centralopening 11 in the disk, the free end of the post being enlarged to provide a stop 12 cngageable with the lower side of the disk.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the cap-retaining means provided by my invention is entirely concealed from view when the cap is engaged with the neck 2, and this arrangement is desirable not only from the 'standpoint of preserving the usual outward appearance of the container, but also, because of the fact that the retainer is thereby shielded from damage or distortion by contact with other articles.

From the preceding it is apparent that I have designed a closure assembly for collap sible tubes or like containers, of great adaptability, eliminating the inherent deficiencies of those now in use, eficient in operation, simple in construction, and inexpensive to manufacture.

' Although in the foregoing, certain ele- 'ments may have been set forth as best adapthaving'a discharge orifice surrounded by an externally threaded collar,a guide pivoted to and operable to positions overlying and lateral of the collar, saidguide being threaded, its threads constituting a continuation of those on thecollar, and a cap carried by the guide and adapted to be disposed by the collar ina position for engagement with the threads of the collar.

2. A receptacle having an orifice surrounded by a neck, a closure retainer hinged to the receptacle and forming, in one position, a symmetrical extension of the neck and a cap carriedby said retainer in reciprocal engagement therewith.

3. A' receptaclehaving an aperture surrounded by a wall, acap retainer hinged to the wall and a cap fitting over said retainer in threaded engagement therewith.

4. A receptacle having a discharge orifice surrounded by a threaded wall or collar, a cap-retainer hinged to the receptacle, and a cap threadedly engaged with the retainer and movable relative thereto into threaded engagement with said wall or collar.

5. A receptacle having a discharge orifice surrounded by a wall having a slot formed therein, a cap retainer having a projection pivotally secured in said slot, and a cap carried by said retainer and movablerelatively thereto into and out of engagement with said wall.

6. A receptacle surrounded by a threaded wall having a slot formed therein, a capretainer normally disposed to form a symmetrical continuation of the wall, a projection from the cap-retainer pivotally secured in said slot, and a cap threadedly engaged with said retainer and movable relative to the retainer into and out of threaded engagement with said wall. L

7. In combination, a receptacle, a closure therefor, and retaining means threadedly engaged with the closure and arranged to be entirely concealed thereby when in re ceptacle closing-position.

GERALD E. FoRc-E. 

